Laconia

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For other uses, see Laconia (disambiguation).

Template:Infobox Pref GR Laconia (Λακωνία; see also List of traditional Greek place names), also known as Lacedaemonia, was in ancient Greece the portion of the Peloponnese of which the most important city was Sparta. Throughout classical antiquity the Spartans held Messenia, whose inhabitants (the helots) were permanently enslaved. In medieval times it was part of the Byzantine Empire and following the Crusades it was the home of the Byzantine Despotate of Mystra, held by the penultimate Byzantine ruling dynasty, the Palaeologi. In modern times, Laconia has the legal status of a prefecture, with Sparta its administrative capital. Its main towns and cities are Amyclae, Areopolis, Gytheion, Molaoi, Monemvasia, Mystras, Neapoli and Sellasia. It encompasses Cape Malea and Cape Tainaron and a large part of the Mani Peninsula.

The Evrotas is the longest river in the prefecture. The valley of the Evrotas is predominantly an agricultural region that contains many citrus groves, olive groves and pasture lands and most of all, oranges. It is the location of the largest orange production in the Peloponnese and probably all of Greece. The brand of orange juice named after this prefecture Lakonia is based in Amyclae and sells fresh orange juice entirely from this region.

Taygetus (2,407 m), known as Pentadaktylos (five-fingers) throughout the middle ages, is west of Sparta and the Evrotas valley. It is the highest mountain in Laconia and the Peloponnese, and mostly covered with pine trees. Two roads connect the adjoining prefectures of Messinia and Laconia: one is a tortuous mountain pass through Taygetus and the other bypasses the mountain via the Mani district to the south. The other major mountain is Parnon (1,961 m) to the east.

A stalactite cave in the southwest of the prefecture is located south of Areopolis. This famous cave is called Dirou and is a major tourist attraction.

It is bounded by the Taygetus mountains to the west with Messenia, Arcadia to the north and with the Parnon mountains to the northeast, the Myrtoan Gulf to the east and the Gulf of Laconia and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. The islands of Cythera and Antikythira lie to the south, but they administratively belong to the prefecture of Piraeus.

The word "laconic" is derived from the name of the region by analogy - to speak in a concise way, as the Spartans were reputed by the Athenians to do.

Contents

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Climate

The area has hot summers and mild winters in most of the prefecture while in the mountains, especially Taygetus, snow is very common throughout the winter.

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Transportation

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Communications

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Radio

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Television

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Population history

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Provinces

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Municipalities and communities

Municipality Municipal code Seat (if different) Postal code
Asopos 3202 Papadianika 230 56
East Mani 3201 Kotronas 230 66
Elos 3207 Vlachiotis 230 55
Faris 3222 Xirokampi 230 54
Geronthres 3204 Geraki 230 58
Gytheio 3205 232 00
Krokees 3211 230 57
Molaoi 3212 230 52
Monemvasia 3213 230 70
Mystras 3214 Magoula 231 00
Niata 3215 Agios Dimitrios 230 60
Oinounta 3216 Sellasia 230 64
Oitylos 3217 Areopoli 230 62
Pellana 3218 Kastori 230 59
Skala 3219 230 51
Smynos 3220 Agios Nikolaos 230 61
Sparta 3221 231 00
Therapnes 3209 Gkoritsa 231 00
Voies 3203 Neapoli 230 53
Zarakas 3208 Reichea 230 68
Community Municipal code Seat (if different) Postal code
Elafonisos3206230 53
Karyes3210 230 67

See also: List of settlements in the Laconia prefecture

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External links

el:Νομός Λακωνίας es:Laconia fr:Laconie it:Laconia he:לאקוניה la:Laconia nl:Laconië pl:Lakonia pt:Lacônia simple:Laconia fi:Lakonia sv:Lakonien

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